Disappointed in the New Year So Far? Three Ways You Can Fix it!

We’re a couple of months into this new year and I’ve already seen all the hype about new year’s resolutions die down and most everyone has even forgotten what their resolutions were. It seems the fresh start of a new calendar year gets lost pretty quickly on most because while big dreams may be in place and goals set, life happens. Has your 2015 not turned out to be all you planned? Here are a few ways to fix it.

Go Back and Review: What Happened?

You did write them down, didn’t you? Look over those goals you thought were so do-able only a couple of months ago. What happened? Did you bite off more than you can chew? Did you let the routine of everyday life take over your hustle? What happened? Be honest with yourself and answer the question: what happened? Maybe the goals weren’t realistic, or measurable, or even real goals. If you’re not already familiar with goal setting, you’d do well to read up a bit on the concept of S.M.A.R.T. Goals. It’ll change the way you look at a lot of things – I promise.

Start Dreaming Again

Maybe you’ve stopped dreaming or maybe some loser shot your dreams down. Might I recommend staying away from the people who constantly shoot you down? Instead, look for people who are grounded in reality, but understand that if you don’t dream a little and try to accomplish something, you’ll never accomplish anything.

Convert Your Dreams to Goals

Goals that work are usually just dreams that have been thought through and planned out. So take the dreams you have and take another step beyond dreaming. Make them something you can act on by turning those dreams into actionable steps. If you look at a dream and decide it is too big to accomplish, break it down into a few smaller goals. If those goals are too big to accomplish, break them down until you get to the pieces that are small enough for you to digest. Don’t forget the ultimate dream you’re trying to accomplish, and each time you complete one of those bite-size actions, recognize (and celebrate) you made one step toward your dream.

If 2015 hasn’t turned out to be what you expected, it isn’t too late. Don’t decide to wait until next year to get started on what you can do today.

Related

About Barry

Barry is a debt-free author, speaker and financial coach who writes about personal finance issues, helping people get out of debt, live on a budget and make the most of every cent that comes into their hands. He is the author of From Debtor to Better: The Details of Debt and How to Get Out! He lives in Southwest Virginia with his wife and young children.